I've made the decision to take a week break each Summer to just run away to the forest and be wild & free.
This past week was my first big trip since 2020 and it was so freeing. It was so wonderful and peaceful. It was so needed and not one of us out of me, the farmer, and the boys were ready to come home.
We rode mountain roads with the windows down, the cool 75-degree breeze blowing through the truck. The smell of the Pisgah Forest filled the truck and engulfed us in the sweet smell of adventure. The Farmer was born to drive mountain roads and I joked with him that in a past life he must've been a moonshiner up there. Every curve we came upon he hit the gas and drifted.
We both felt like teenagers riding all day and night up and down the mountains exploring.
We went to town a few times, one time in particular we got stranded in the rain. It was pouring like crazy! Flash flood-type rain. We ran from one store's awning to the next. People huddled together under the awnings watching one another. I laughed at the boy's expressions. Rain rolled down each of our faces and we laughed and squealed when we ran down the street. For two blocks we did that in the pouring rain. I held my sandals in my hands and we ran across the street to our truck and jumped in. We laughed and brushed the water off the boys. Luckily I had packed extra clothes to keep in the truck. I even had their rain hats... but it was too late, we were soaked! We sat in the truck for another hour and changed the boys and all dried off while listening to music. Then we headed to find food, then back we went to the forest!
We took the long way home that day, it took us through the forest. A beautiful place full of winding roads, so much greenery, an old Appalachia feel to it, and a river that seems to never end winding by the roads rushing with the rainwater.
One morning, I got up before the rest of the house and went exploring. So much has changed lately up there. The state bought the river, cleaned it up, and planted native flowers and trees all along the banks. It's quite beautiful and I just love the black-eyed Susans and daisies. While exploring and taking millions of photos of the flowers I sat down under the apple tree out front and ate an apple, tasted just like a granny smith, but much uglier LOL! It was yummy though.
That was the day the farmer and I went exploring the river.
I drug my tube down the river, then rode it back down. The farmer thought it looked pretty fun so we went to the deeper part of the river and swam and tubed down it. Then we took our sleepy babies out to dinner.
One question we have been asked so much is how did the boys do? How did they enjoy it? They did so well. They slept throughout the entire night every night in their playpen. They played all day and slept all night.
Coltie's personality was almost like he felt more at home up there than he does down here. He was so happy. He loved being in the creek, he loved splashing around, and enjoyed riding.
Kayven enjoyed going out places and seeing new faces. At a Cracker Barrel, he made a new friend. A woman probably in her eighties walked up to him to talk to him as most people do. But in his eyes, this woman was different.
He reached for her, she hugged him, and he held her hand, looked into her eyes and did the biggest smile at her.
I know, I know. There is always that one person who is reading this going, "WhAt AbOuT cOvId?" "WhAt AbOuT kIdNaPpErS?" And to both of those I say, my baby is happy, healthy, safe, and loves to make people smile and as long as he is making a little old lady's days better, I will let him do so.
But, overall it was such a beautiful week full of memories. And we both agree being isolated for a week in the mountains is just what we need every single year.
-Lady of the Farm
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